The present invention relates generally to Internet content, and more particularly to displaying similar Internet content.
RSS (Rich Site Summary); originally RDF Site Summary; often called Really Simple Syndication, uses a family of standard web feed formats to publish frequently updated information (e.g., blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video). An RSS document (called “feed,” “web feed,” or “channel”) includes full or summarized text and metadata, such as publishing date and author's name.
RSS feeds enable publishers to syndicate data automatically. A standard extensible markup language (XML) file format ensures compatibility with many different machines/programs. RSS feeds also benefit users who want to receive timely updates from favorite websites or to aggregate data from many sites.
Subscribing to a website RSS removes the need for the user to manually check the website for new content. Instead, their browser constantly monitors the site and informs the user of any updates. The browser can also be commanded to automatically download the new data for the user.
Software termed “RSS reader,” “aggregator,” or “feed reader,” which can be web-based, desktop-based, or mobile-device-based, present RSS feed data to users. Users subscribe to feeds either by entering a feed's uniform resource identifier (URI) into the reader or by clicking on the browser's feed icon. The RSS reader checks the user's feeds regularly for new information and can automatically download it, if that function is enabled. The reader also provides a user interface.